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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26213905">An Helping Hand</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angy98/pseuds/Angy98'>Angy98</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(maybe), F/M, One-Sided Love</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 09:07:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,705</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26213905</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angy98/pseuds/Angy98</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The kwamis decide to try and help their holders get closer.</p><p>After all, what harm can a gentle push do, right?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth/Nathalie Sancoeur</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>61</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>An Helping Hand</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It wasn't unusual for Gabriel to work at new designs at late night – as most artists are well known for having their best ideas when they're supposed to be sleeping. That night was one of those, with the fashion designer working on his tablet in his usual spot, and Nooroo floating silently around the room.<br/>
The kwami flew to one of the room's windows, sitting down on the windowsill.</p><p>He had thought about Duusu's words over and over. The other kwami had been pestering him for quite a while now, trying to convince him they should try to bring their holders together.</p><p>
  <i>“But they are meant to be!" Duusu had insisted.<br/>
“Maybe, but we are meant not to interfere with the personal lives of our wielders, remember?" He had countered. “What would the Guardian think of us, if we broke the promise?"</i>
</p><p>But maybe his sibling was right about all that plan of hers. Maybe it could all get better if those two could see just how much they meant to each other...<br/>
After all, what harm could a little, tiny push do?</p><p>Nooroo flew back to Mr. Agreste. "It is such a lovely night! Don't you think so, Master?" The kwami spoke, shyly. He only obtained an absentminded <i>'mh'</i> from the man as a reply. "You've been working for a long time, now. I would advise you to take a break to rest your eyes."<br/>
Gabriel's gaze met Nooroo's, and held it silently for a few seconds. “Maybe you're right, Nooroo" the man eventually said, removing his glasses to rub his eyes.<br/>
Gabriel walked up to the window, opened it and stepped outside on the balcony. Nooroo flew next to him, watching as his holder leaned against the fence, staring down at the garden.<br/>
<i>It was time to enter in action.</i></p><p>“Paris is so peaceful, tonight!" Nooroo commented, sighing in contentment. "I can sense many positive emotions!"<br/>
Mr. Agreste didn't reply. It meant that there were going to be no new akumas, for the time being.<br/>
“They also come from the people close to this home." Nooroo went on. "I can feel how Adrien is happy thinking about his new friends... His bodyguard is glad that everything is going fine..."</p><p>The kwami closed his eyes for a moment, taking in the positive waves. Then: "I can feel Miss Nathalie is happy as well, tonight."<br/>
Gabriel finally turned his head to look at his kwami. "She's asleep," Nooroo said softly, with an hint of a smile on his face. “She's dreaming to be with the man she loves."</p><p>Mr. Agreste once again said nothing, but Nooroo didn't miss a slight frown form on the man's face and, mostly, the slightest hint of annoyance and jealously he'd felt after the kwami's mention of <i>that unnamed man.</i></p><p>- - - - -</p><p>The seed had been planted and, although Gabriel claimed himself to be left completely unaffected by it, in a few occasions he'd found himself thinking about Nooroo's words.</p><p>Was Nathalie really in love with someone? How long had this been going on?<br/>
And mostly, how did he not notice?<br/>
He wondered how many other things he was unaware of.</p><p>Quite a few, he found out in the next few days as he slowly started to focus more on the people surrounding him, with or without the Miraculous.<br/>
He paid more attention to the looks in Adrien’s eyes when his son did or said something in particular, and found out that – like Nooroo had said – he was indeed happier when he spoke about his friends or left the house to meet them.<br/>
Then, the looks on his interns’ faces and the fret in their movements revealed him that they were <i>afraid</i> of him even when he wasn’t mad at all.</p><p>For some reasons, he found himself paying close attention to Nathalie whenever the two of them were out in public, trying to determine who the object of her affection could be, but she never showed any different behaviours around any of their acquaintances, be it photographers, models or the occasional workers of the fashion company.</p><p>Yet, her feelings were always there, ringing through his magical brooch whenever she and Gabriel went.<br/>
There was that newly-labeled love, radiating with a fluctuating intensity from her but, now that he noticed it, almost ever-present.<br/>
But there was also a peculiar sadness coming from his assistant, and he couldn’t say that <i>that</i> was something new. Just like him, Nathalie had been feeling sad ever since Emilie’s death.</p><p>But now it was different; it was as if her pain had grown stronger, deeper in a way. That wasn’t just the pain from the loss of a friend. It was intermingled with something else.</p><p>He felt the need to talk with her.</p><p>Gabriel stepped out of the mansion and walked up to the garden, where he knew his assistant was likely to be during her breaks. In fact, there she was, sitting on one of the benches with her head low.<br/>
She was still emitting that sadness that he felt earlier.</p><p>“Nathalie” Gabriel called for her. Nathalie's head immediately shot up, her gaze moving around until it found his.<br/>
“Sir?” the woman greeted him surprised. “What... are you doing here?"<br/>
“It seems like I can't find any inspiration, today. So I figured I could take a break as well." He replied. “May I?" He then gestured toward the bench.<br/>
Nathalie looked down at the empty space next to her, then back towards her boss. “Of course!"</p><p>Gabriel sat down, and the two of them remained silent for a while.<br/>
“Hey, uhm..." He eventually spoke. "I know I'm not supposed to pry into your personal matters, and I understand if you don't want to talk about this sort of things with me, but..." The man brought a hand up to his neck, fixing the tie that hid his Miraculous. "I've been paying more attention to how people around me feel, and I realized that I never noticed how lately you've been feeling down."</p><p>Nathalie turned to look at him, surprised at his unexpected interest in her problems. "I wanted to know how are you, and if there's something wrong." Gabriel ended.<br/>
"It's kind of you to worry, but It's nothing serious, really." Nathalie played it off casually.<br/>
Gabriel nodded. “Well, whatever it is, at least you can count on that love you've been feeling to relieve your mind from your worries!"</p><p>Nathalie's eyes widened slightly, the only sign betraying her sudden alarm at his words in her otherwise inexpressive face. However, the temporary fear that he'd found out about her true feelings vanished in the moment Gabriel added a “Who's the lucky man, if I may ask?"<br/>
Nathalie pondered her answer for a few moments. "He's an amazing person, really" she then replied, staring into his eyes. "A sweet soul, even if he can behave like a real a-hole, at times." Nathalie smiled, fondness washing over her words.<br/>
“It sounds...great." Gabriel replied.</p><p>
  <i>Again with that fleeting sensation of annoyance in his stomach! What was happening?</i>
</p><p>Nathalie turned away, looking down to the ground. "Yeah, well... It would surely be, if only he would reciprocate me..."<br/>
“Oh...” Gabriel's shoulders dropped. "Is love the reason why you've been feeling so unhappy lately, then?" He watched as Nathalie pressed her lips together, nodding silently. "I'm sorry." He simply replied, and he meant it.<br/>
“That's how life goes, sometimes..." Nathalie shrugged.</p><p>A few seconds of uncomfortable silence passed, before Gabriel spoke again. “Tell me who he is; I can make him the target of my next akuma", he offered.<br/>
Nathalie turned back to face him, remaining silent. "I don't..." she started, and then took another pause.<br/>
<i>‘I don't think you would really like to kick your own butt’</i> was the reply she would have really wanted to give him. Instead, she opted for a "That's not the solution to the problem but, once again, thank you very much for the thought...sir." Her lips curved in an unsure half-smile.<br/>
“Gabriel,” Mr. Agreste corrected her. “We’re not in working mode now. And anyone who makes the people I care about suffer deserves a punishment!"<br/>
Nathalie’s smile now seemed a little softer and more true. But still, she didn’t reply.</p><p>Gabriel leaned back on his arms. "I know what unrequited love feels like. Well, not actually <i>love</i>, but... before Emilie came around, I had a crush on a girl in my class, back in my high school freshman. I tried to court her for a while, but she never liked me back." Gabriel remained pensive for a while, thinking back to those times.<br/>
Then, he turned to Nathalie, who had been intently listening to his words. “What I’m trying to say is... Even if he won't ever reciprocate you there's still plenty of time. You're still young, you're an amazing person, <i>and</i> you're good looking." He placed his hand on hers, smiling reassuringly. "You'll find the right person, eventually. Just like I found Emilie.”<br/>
Something faded noticeably in Nathalie's eyes, that had been glistening and hopeful up until that moment. “Let's hope so,” she replied swiftly, before pulling her hand away and glancing elsewhere.</p><p> </p><p>Hidden behind the bushes of the mansion's garden, Nooroo and Duusu had been watching the entire scene.<br/>
“Well, that was a complete disaster, wasn't it?" Nooroo commented, cringing as he felt new waves of disappointment and sadness radiating from Nathalie, stronger than they were before her conversation with Gabriel. "That's what I get for listening to you!"<br/>
“I wouldn't call it a disaster", Duusu defended. "He said she is <i>good looking</i>!" The peacock kwami added gleeful, her eyes sparkling.<br/>
“Before telling her how he still loves Mrs. Agreste!" Nooroo reminded her. The butterfly kwami started to leave, but Duusu flew in front of him. “He actually felt jealous on a few instances, these past days!” She said. "We're on the right path! Let <i>me</i> try a plan, next!"</p><p>Nooroo stood still, then sighed. “Fine. But I'll be around to keep an eye on you."<br/>
Duusu squealed excited, grabbing Nooroo's arms and making him fly in circles with her. “You'll see, Noo-noo. We'll get them together, eventually." The kwami exclaimed cheerfully. “And when we'll make it, everything will be amazing!"</p>
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